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Keyboard players - why so hard to find?

01-27-2010, 08:12 PM

I can't, for the life of me, figure this out. When I put an ad on Craigslist for bass players, who are notoriously hard to find, I got dozens of responses, all very enthusiastic. When I put an ad for a keyboard player, it might as well have just been a blank ad! Nothing. Weeks go by. Months. Nothing.

Can someone tell me if there is something inherently terrifying to keyboard players about our band or something? This is the link I am putting in the ad (they can hear all of the music from our CD): http://www.shadowcircusmusic.com/audio.

I thought it might be because most are looking for paying gigs, but I didn't specify that...

Comment

That's a shame. It's a fun gig for anybody who grew up listening to Jon Lord, Keith Emerson, Rick Wakeman...all songs were written on keyboards, and musically is very challenging throughout...And a tour is very likely...hmmm...maybe I should specify those things...

Good deals: pianorocker

..::.PROG LIVES!.::..

Comment

That's a shame. It's a fun gig for anybody who grew up listening to Jon Lord, Keith Emerson, Rick Wakeman...all songs were written on keyboards, and musically is very challenging throughout...And a tour is very likely...hmmm...maybe I should specify those things...

Good deals: pianorocker

..::.PROG LIVES!.::..

Comment

I've got two keyboard players, both with amazing keyboards and I could have a whole freakin orchestra of JUST keyboard players if I wanted to. They're really easy to find here, it's probably the scene you're in.

Comment

I've got two keyboard players, both with amazing keyboards and I could have a whole freakin orchestra of JUST keyboard players if I wanted to. They're really easy to find here, it's probably the scene you're in.

Comment

I'm a keyboard player - and gave a quick listen to the audio on the link you posted. Nice stuff, good production - obviously very pro. Yet in the next breath, I'll tell you that I likely wouldn't respond to a Craiglist posting for your gig as a keys player. Although it's clearly solid material - I can't picture anywhere around town where material like yours is being played. That more than anything would probably keep me from responding. (...and that's not because I don't like the material - I simply struggle to see the market....)

Comment

I'm a keyboard player - and gave a quick listen to the audio on the link you posted. Nice stuff, good production - obviously very pro. Yet in the next breath, I'll tell you that I likely wouldn't respond to a Craiglist posting for your gig as a keys player. Although it's clearly solid material - I can't picture anywhere around town where material like yours is being played. That more than anything would probably keep me from responding. (...and that's not because I don't like the material - I simply struggle to see the market....)

Comment

I'm a keyboard player - and gave a quick listen to the audio on the link you posted. Nice stuff, good production - obviously very pro. Yet in the next breath, I'll tell you that I likely wouldn't respond to a Craiglist posting for your gig as a keys player. Although it's clearly solid material - I can't picture anywhere around town where material like yours is being played. That more than anything would probably keep me from responding. (...and that's not because I don't like the material - I simply struggle to see the market....)

Ah! Very helpful information. Helpful because, I can certainly set those concerns at ease - we have a good following and many venues lined up - the only thing that's holding up the gigs, ironically, is a lack of a keyboard player - the venues and audience are in abundance. We even get major FM radio airplay in Holland and Germany, and could probably pack some decent sized clubs over there.

We actually passed up on playing any gigs after our first album simply because auditions were taking so long that we just went into the studio and did another album...there are enough fans and venues to book an east coast tour, and four major progressive rock festivals every year that we could be playing...

What I don't get is - how does a bass player see these possibilities, even a drummer and a vocalist, but not a keyboard player? What's different about that instrument that changes the perspective?

Good deals: pianorocker

..::.PROG LIVES!.::..

Comment

I'm a keyboard player - and gave a quick listen to the audio on the link you posted. Nice stuff, good production - obviously very pro. Yet in the next breath, I'll tell you that I likely wouldn't respond to a Craiglist posting for your gig as a keys player. Although it's clearly solid material - I can't picture anywhere around town where material like yours is being played. That more than anything would probably keep me from responding. (...and that's not because I don't like the material - I simply struggle to see the market....)

Ah! Very helpful information. Helpful because, I can certainly set those concerns at ease - we have a good following and many venues lined up - the only thing that's holding up the gigs, ironically, is a lack of a keyboard player - the venues and audience are in abundance. We even get major FM radio airplay in Holland and Germany, and could probably pack some decent sized clubs over there.

We actually passed up on playing any gigs after our first album simply because auditions were taking so long that we just went into the studio and did another album...there are enough fans and venues to book an east coast tour, and four major progressive rock festivals every year that we could be playing...

What I don't get is - how does a bass player see these possibilities, even a drummer and a vocalist, but not a keyboard player? What's different about that instrument that changes the perspective?